1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the execution of multiple functions, such as scanning, printing, and faxing, and more particularly, to a transmission packet used to perform multiple functions over a network and a communication method and apparatus to perform the multi-functions using the transmission packet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Only one Internet printing protocol (IPP) exists for controlling printers through the Internet. However, while there are no protocols used to control scanners through the Internet, scanned documents are currently transmitted to clients through the Internet. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,662 discloses a conventional method of transmitting scanned documents through the Internet. In the disclosed conventional method, documents are scanned using a multi-functional peripheral apparatus, such as a server, over a network according to a client's instruction. The scanned documents are then transmitted to the client over the network. In other words, in order to receive the scanned documents, the client must first open a scanning associated application, and the scanning order from the client must be given.
As described above, the conventional method cannot perform a scanning without a client's instruction. Also, according to the conventional method, if a client does not open a scanning associated application, the scanned documents are not transferred to the client. Also, in the conventional method, it is impossible to find a server having a scanning function among several servers. Furthermore, the scanning by a server cannot be controlled, the state of the server for scanning cannot be checked, and the server itself cannot be controlled. In addition, in the conventional method, there is a possibility that a client cannot properly receive the scanned documents from a server. Furthermore, a network scanning protocol according to the disclosed conventional method depends on the operating systems of a server and a client, thus increasing the restrictions on the design of a scanning protocol.
As a result, in the conventional method, clients cannot share a multi-functional peripheral apparatus over a network. Also, the conventional method requires an extra management protocol in order for a server to control clients.